Fluid disperser and display



June 13, 1967 A. A. ARAUJO 3 7 FLUID DISPBRSER AND DISPLAY Filed May 27, 1965 mg g 3e BY ARMANDO A. ARAUJU A TTOIPNEX ga wad r United States Patent Ofifice 3,3253% Patented June 13, 1967 3,325,102 FLUID DISPERSER AND DISPLAY Armando A. Araujo, 75 Front St, Freeport, NY. 11520 Filed May 27, 1965, Ser. No. 459,280 4 Claims. Cl. 239-229 This invention relates to types of devices which may be used as fluid dispersers and also as attractive display devices. More particularly, the fluid dispersing function of the device may be utilized to spray or sprinkle water over a desired portion of lawn, or it may be used to sprinkle, spray or disperse any other liquid on a desired area, or it may be used to disperse other fluid such as air or gasses within an area, and at the same time while the device is operating, it may be used to provide a pleasing and attractive display in that its component parts will move about in varied, pleasing and attentiongetting patterns of a regular and fascinating shape.

In its preferred forms, the invention would be used as a water sprinkler for a garden in which function it would both act as an eflicient sprinkler and an attractive display, or by substituting air (compressed) for water to operate the device, it might be used anywhere as an attractive display.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a device of the character described which may be used to disperse fluids over a desired area.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device which will have an ornamental and pleasing appearance during its operation, and which may be used as a display device.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid disperser and display which may be manufactured economically with a virtual minimum of parts, and which may be made in quantity to provide for several useful functions.

The objects and advantages are achieved with the invention which is described in the specification hereinbelow and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly solid and partly dotted, to show relative movement of the device while in operation;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the director or pattern control vane of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an alternate form of director or pattern control vane in the shape of a leaf;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the speed control and oscillator pattern flag of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an alternate form of speed control and oscillator pattern flag in the form of a flower;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged medial cross section oscillator control mounting assembly;

FIG. 7 is a cross section of the oscillating control mounting assembly taken along the lines 7-7 in FIG. 6, and also including the oscillator control means, partly in section and partly broken away, and with certain interior portions shown in phantom;

FIG. 8 shows a detail of an alternate form of the invention in which the vane and flag of FIGS. 3 and 5 are substituted for the vane and flag of FIGS. 2 and 4;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail in perspective of a portion of the oscillator pattern flag of the invention and means of securing same; and

FIG. 10 shows a further alternate form of the invention in which a plurality of units of the invention are set up on the same water supply line or hose to provide simultaneous water sprinkling action, with the upper parts of the devices cutaway.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The invention has a main body portion or base 29 which comprises a fluid inlet 22, a fluid passage or chamber 24 within the main body portion Ztl, and a fluid outlet means 26. The fluid inlet 22 would be the usual type of threaded coupling part such as a female portion of a threaded union for coupling two hoses together, for example. Into the inlet means 22 there may be threaded the male threaded portion 28 of the end of a pipe or hose 30 through which water may flow as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Outlet means 26 would be in the form of a piece of tubing over which a flexible tubing 32 could be fitted. Flexible tubing 32 has an outlet opening 34 out of which the fluid from pipe 36 will be dispersed after flowing through the parts of the device just described.

The pattern control vane 36 is friction slide fitted over flexible tubing 32 through holes such as grommets 38. There is an oscillator assembly 40 mounted on oscillator assembly mounting means 42. The oscillator assembly 40 comprises a flexible tubing 44, a speed control means such as an oscillator pattern flag 46 friction mounted on tubing 44 by means of grommets 48. The oscillator assembly mounting means 42 comprises a collar 50 friction fitted over end 34 of tube 32 against which a pair of partially cone shaped collars 552 having flanges 54 are pressed with end loop 56 of wire 58 between flanges 54-. Finally, another collar 6t) is friction fitted over end 34 and over the cone shape of the outer of the cone shaped collars 52. This provides a construction as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings.

Wire 58 also has an end hook 62 over which inner end 64 of tube 44 is friction fitted. Outer end 66 of tube 44 has a stop such as ball stop 63 friction fitted therein to stop speed control flag 46 from being shaken off the end of the device. A stake or peg 70 is provided so that the device may be placed in the ground in a fixed position.

The device operates as follows. Water is caused to flow in the direction of arrow as shown in FIG. 1 through hose or pipe 30. The water enters at the fluid inlet 22 and leaves the device at outlet 26 to enter tube 32 and then leave tube 32 through opening 34. Oscillator assembly 40 is mounted on tube 32 by measn of mounting means 42, described hereinabove, in such a fashion that wire end 56 may rotate freely around the mounting. Before the water is turned on, tube 32 is in a relaxed position. As the water flows through tube 32, the force of the water causes tube 32 to move from its relaxed position to another position. This motion, as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings, will move oscillator assembly 40 to another position which will provide a new force against the force on tube 32 caused by the flow of water. This will again move tube 32 to another position and move oscillator assembly 4-0 to another position, keeping the device in constant motion so long as there is a flow of water.

The pattern of the dispersal of the fluid is controlled by the pattern vane 36. The closer the control vane 36 is moved to the outlet 26, the smaller the pattern, and the further the director pattern control vane 36 is moved away from outlet 26, the wider the pattern. The speed of oscillation of the device is controlled by the oscillator pattern control vane, or flag, 46. The closer vane 46 is to the swivel bearing construction of mounting assembly 42, the faster the oscillation, and the further vane 46 is from the swivel bearing construction of the oscillator mounting means 42, the slower the rate of oscillation.

The main body portion 20 can be made of metal or plastic such as polyethylene or vinyl. The conduit tube 32 and length of flexible material 44 may be made of rubber or vinyl or any other flexible material capable of being friction fitted against the outlet means such as outlet 26 and also capable of holding the flags or vanes 36 and 46 frictionally, and also capable of holding a ball such as stop ball 68 within the elasticity of the flexible material.

The cone shaped collars 52 and their flanges 54 may be made out of eyelets, and the collars t) and 60 may be made of metal, plastic or resilient material. The oscillator assembly mounting means should be tightly fitted over tubing 32 so as to constrict the passage 76 through the center of the tube. This will provide for a pressure buildup with the device to enhance its operation.

In FIGS. 3, 5 and 8 of the drawings, I show the invention with decorative flags or vanes in the form of a leaf 80 and a flower 82. Leaf 80 is identical in construction and function to flag or vane 36 with the exception that it has the configuration and appearance of a leaf. Flower 82 is identical in construction and function to flag or vane 46 with the exception that it has attached to it an ornamental flower design. The flags or vanes 36, 46, 8t) and 82 may be made of cardboard, plastic or any other suitable material which may be flexed and attached to the tubings 32and 44 respectively.

In FIG. of the drawings, I show the device in the form of a plurality of units which may be set up on the same water supply line to supply simultaneous sprinkling action. In such case, unit designated 90 would be identical to the unit as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Units designated 92 would be identical to unit 90 with the exception that there would be a second outlet means 94 to permit flow of water to the next succeeding unit.

The invention as described hereinabove is particularly adapted for sprinkling water on lawns. By substituting compressed air for water, the invention can be made to operate as a display device forming a pleasing display, especially when the vanes are in the form of flowers such as flower 82 or in the form of leaves such as leaf 80. The vanes, of course, can be made in any decorative form. They made be bendable to aid in their placement. In addition, the display can be further augmented by the use of colored fluids and auxiliary lighting equipment.

While I have described my invention in its preferred forms, there are other forms which it may take without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the swivel bearings of the oscillator assembly mounting means may be molded integrally onto the tubing 32 with the length of flexible material 44 also connected to the swivel bearing by a continuously molded length of material rather than by means of the wire 58. In other words, any type of construction may be used which will provide for an oscillator control assembly which will rotate freely around the end of the flexible conduit 32.

In addition, while certain materials have been specified herei-nabove, these are for guidance only, and any material or materials which are suitable for the manufacture of the device may be used. For example, I have found s that polyurethane is admirably suited for use in the flexible tubing and in the length of flexible material of the invention. 1, therefore, desire to be protected for all forms coming within the scope of the claims hereinbelow.

Wherefore I claim:

1. A fluid disperser having a hollow main body portion including an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being connected to flexible tubing at one end thereof and said flexible tubing having a fluid dispersing outlet at the other end thereof, a sheet of bendable material having a plurality of openings mounted on the said flexible tubing by means of the said openings in frictional engagement, a swivel bearing mounted on said flexible tubing near the said dispersing outlet, a length of flexible material connected to said swivel bearing and adapted to rotate with relation thereto, and a sheet of bendable material having a plurality of openings mounted on the said length of flexible material by means of the said openings in frictional engagement, and stop means at an end of the said length of flexible material to prevent disengagement of the said second mentioned sheet of material.

2. The fluid disperser as defined in claim 1, in which the said swivel bearing serves to constrict the said flexible tubing in the area of the said mounting.

3. The fluid disperser as defined in claim 2, in which the said sheets of material mounted in frictional engagement may be moved to selected positions along the said flexible tubing and the said length of flexible material respectively.

4. A display device having a main body portion comprising fluid inlet means, fluid chamber means, fluid outlet means, conductor means having dispersing outlet means, an oscillator assembly mounted on oscillator assembly mounting means, said conductor means having a pattern control vane and the said oscillator assembly mounting mounted thereon, and said oscillator assembly comprising a flag mounting element with flag mounted thereon, connector means to connect the said flag mount- .ing element to the said oscillator assembly mounting means, and stop means to prevent removal or dislodgment of the flag, in which said oscillator mounting means are relatively near the outlet of the said fluid conducting means, and the said fluid conducting means have a central bore or passage which is constricted at or near the point where the oscillator assembly mounting means are located.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,757,960 8/1956 'Hatcher 239-229 FOREIGN PATENTS 158,716 5/ 1940 Austria. 629,579 9/1949 Great Britain.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Prim ray Examiner. 

1. A FLUID DISPERSER HAVING A HOLLOW MAIN BODY PORTION INCLUDING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, SAID OUTLET BEING CONNECTED TO FLEXIBLE TUBING AT ONE END THEREOF AND SAID FLEXIBLE TUBING HAVING A FLUID DISPERSING OUTLET AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, A SHEET OF BENDABLE MATERIAL HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS MOUNTED ON THE SAID FLEXIBLE TUBING BY MEANS OF THE SAID OPENINGS IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT, A SWIVEL BEARING MOUNTED ON SAID FLEXIBLE TUBING NEAR THE SAID DISPERSING OUTLET, A LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL CONNECTED TO SAID SWIVEL BEARING AND ADAPTED TO ROTATE WITH RELATION THERETO, AND A SHEET OF BENDABLE MATERIAL HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS MOUNTED ON THE SAID LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL BY MEANS OF THE SAID OPENINGS IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT, AND STOP MEANS AT AN END OF THE SAID LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TO PREVENT DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SAID SECOND MENTIONED SHEET OF MATERIAL. 